District Attorney Kamala Harris said she decided to act after finding that 94 percent of young homicide victims were high school dropouts.

"So we sent a letter out to all the parents in the San Francisco Public School District, on the DA letterhead, and explained to them the very direct connection that we've been seeing between a child going without an education and that child becoming a victim of crime or a perpetrator of crime as they get older," said Harris. "And we highlighted all the support that's available in the way of services in the community and through the school district," said San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris."

The stay-in-school efforts have been concentrated on elementary school students, because that's when their families have the most influence.